Aardman Purchases 40 Canon EOS-1D X Cameras

Canon UK has announced that it has sold 40 of its Canon EOS-1D X cameras to Aardman to be used in the production of its latest film, 'Early Man'.

Previously, Aardman is the studio behind clay animation classics such as 'Wallace & Gromit' and 'Shaun the Sheep'.

Since 2009, Canon has ben working with the award-winning studio, and its EOS 1D Mark III cameras have been used to film two of its most recent features; 'The Pirates! In an Adventure with Scientists 'and 'Shaun the Sheep The Movie'.

Due to the unconventional way that films are shot at Aardman, which can be a two year testing and production process, extraordinary demands are placed on its cameras. As well as being used for photography, the artists also run the live view facility through a monitor to get a better idea of how each frame looks, so the cameras are powered on and live all day.

"The main reason behind the decision to purchase the EOS-1D X was the extraordinary quality and reliability they offered," said Tom Barnes, technical director and post production supervisor at Aardman. "Canon's EOS 1D Mark III proved to be fantastically robust, so while we tested other cameras when deciding what to shoot Early Man with, we were happy to purchase the EOS-1D X because we were so impressed with the longevity and reliability of the previous model."

Austin Freshwater, Director, Professional Imaging at Canon UK & Ireland at Canon UK said: "Aardman is renowned for pushing the boundaries of creative storytelling, and they use cameras in a different way to most filmmakers. Because of this, flexibility and robustness are key to their purchasing decisions, so it's testament to the reliability and performance of our cameras that they have opted to work with the EOS-1D X on Early Man."
Directed by BAFTA and Academy Award winning director Nick Park and produced in partnership with STUDIOCANAL, Early Man is an upcoming stop-frame feature film set in a dramatic prehistoric world and welcomes a cast of new characters.

The cameras were purchased through professional photographic services dealer, Fixation.

www.canon.co.uk

www.aardman.com

(LM)